Elevators can be a scary place to be in, specially if something goes wrong. Since childhood, ideas of being trapped by an elevator, or a malfunction happening at the moment we use them, has given us nightmares. Still, I don’t think its that common that each time we step onto a lift, the prospect of dying crosses our minds. We know the odds are in our favor, so if something happens, it will probably happen to someone else, right?

Shoppers in London, however, were in for a frightening ride recently. The lift at the Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth, London, gave shoppers a true scare. The elevator had a realistic optical illusion painted, just like that Anti-smoking ceiling we featured before. This time the floor was done in a way to appear it was missing. As customers stepped onto the elevator, their hearts skipped a beat as they were surely in for a surprise. If this over-the-top PR stunt is only a preview of a new ride hitting the Alton Towers theme park next month, it sounds thrilling!

When shoppers called the lift, the door opened to reveal this deep, yawning lift-shaft, and even the most hardened adventurer could be permitted a small scream of terror – The Daily Mail

Artist Andrew Walker created this 3D illusion to promote a new ride called “Nemesis Sub-Terra” at the Alton Towers theme park. The ride opens on March 24, and when it does, it will take visitors on an underground journey through an elaborate network of caves. Supposedly, “it will be unlike anything seen before in the UK”. Let’s wait and see…

I wonder what the kid in the second picture’s parents said when they saw there little guy fall to his doom

cool froggy

PS Just remembered first comment for the first time xD Xxx

Meerkat

It was only done for these photos, it wouldn’t actually scare anyone. These types of drawings on the floor only work when viewed from a certain angle (the angle that the camera is at), so as soon as you step closer and into the lift, it will look distorted and the illusion would disappear. The people in the pictures are probably actors or models.

RN

Yeah, very freaky

eric

i dont get it, is the kid falling?
either way its fake (just the one) why is his knee transparent? Photoshop fail

Peter

That “transparent knee” is also an optical illusion. It is just the coincidental positioning of a light spot on his jeans with the reflection off the metal strip on the elevator.

i wonder, people will much scared to use lift after experienced this situation… haha :)

Lealiki

This is just BEYOND AWESOME!!!!! Would LOVE to see this in person.. WOW

Alexis

The woman on the right on her foot farthest back you can see the shadow of her shoe on the ilusion

Eva

Does anyone know if this drawing is already gone? I have no idea how long a 3D floor art would last..

Mykol

i would paint that and people would get used to it and just walk into the elavator so after it had been painted for about half a year i would actually cut the floor out and watch people fall, heheheeh i’m eevil

Lisa

For those who push the elevator button then stand back and wait for the doors to open this would be quite a surprise!! I’d give it a second glace before entering haha… Love the pic of the boy jumping to his doom, great work :D

Mariko Mai-Yin

HOLY CRAP. if i was didn’t know that it was fake, i would have been scared to DEATH!!